Money makes the world go around, or so the lyrics of the Broadway hit “Cabaret” claim.

More and more money also makes a state university go around. In fact, money is the determining factor in most every action or policy on Mount Oread. If it’s not the determining factor behind the scenes, it is a very strong consideration.

This being the case, it will be interesting to learn who is chosen as the new dean of Kansas University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Even more interesting would be knowing what factors determined the winning candidate.

How were the scales tilted when interviewing and judging the four finalists? What weight was given to national reputation, academic excellence, the number of publications authored or co-authored by the candidates, their skill in the classroom, their thoughts about the College’s academic course offerings, their ability to recruit faculty, their ability to inspire faculty and excite students, their ability to recruit superior students, their plans for the future of the College, etc.?

How much attention was given to which candidates would be good fundraisers for the College or the university? What level of importance was attached to their ability to communicate and tell the story of the College to taxpayers, state legislators, parents and students?

How about the level of enthusiasm and drive exhibited by the candidates?

Was a ceiling placed on what these candidates could be paid, and did this color the thinking of the search committee? Were some eliminated from consideration because KU could not meet their salary expectations?

Like it or not, in one way or another, money plays a critical role. In today’s academic world, deans are supposed to be able to raise money. That’s one of their primary jobs. They are constantly on the road asking alumni, friends, businesses and corporations for money — money for programs, money for endowments, money for most everything tied into the job. This is why communication skills and personality are so important. Donors, legislators and parents should look forward to meeting and visiting with a dean or senior administrator, even if the purpose of the meeting is to ask for money.

Competition for superior faculty members and deans is intense and becoming more competitive year by year. Likewise, competition for superior students is more intense.

In every case, money plays a central role, whether it supports scholarships, salaries or programs.

Again, it would interesting to know what carried the most weight in the selection of the new College dean: experience and academic excellence or possibly their communication skills and ability to raise money.

Hopefully, the winning candidate has both skills: raising money and raising the academic excellence of the College.